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SHOPPER'S WORLD

Published: September 5, 1982

(Page 2 of 2)

A malleable plaster-like substance was then pressed by hand into the raised portions - some of them thin lines, others wide scrolls - the amount varying with the degree of accentuated relief sought. The leather was turned over and glued to a flat board. Along with the next step, painting, a colored gold powder was placed in the indentations and allowed to dry to provide a contrast with the smooth leather, which was maroon.

When the leather dried, beeswax was applied to give it sheen and added smoothness. It was then affixed to the box frame and hammered on with decorative brass studs. The inside drawers of the box were lined with red velvet.

The restorations that Meryan undertakes are often of old leather pieces that have cracked or faded. Sometimes 400 or 500 years old, they must be handled with extreme care. Examples of guadamacil, treasured by museums, are increasingly rare.

In Cordoba the Palacio de Viana (Plaza de don Gome), a former palatial home with 11 inner patios, has been opened to the public as a museum (mornings only, entrance fee $1). There one can see leathers from the time of the Christian reconquest: wall hangings as intricately worked as tapestries, chairs whose backs, seats and arms are of the guadamacil style, embossed frames and in some cases leather used in lieu of canvas for paintings.

Of unusual interest is the huge carriage house, where carriages of various sizes -elegant vehicles to seat eight persons as well as small single-occupancy ones - together with their equestrian appurtanences are displayed. Almost everything except the frames and wheels were made of leather. Tips for buyers of leather goods Avoid Imitations Be cautious when shopping for embossed leather in Spain. As with everything of quality, cheap imitations abound. Leathers stamped by machine, simulating the Cordoban embossing, are generally ugly and lacquered, but sometimes the imitations are so clever that the purchaser is misled. My experience is that any specialty leather shop in Spain will tell the customer the truth if he asks specifically about the quality of a prospective purchase. Visitors should be wary when shopping in the Zoco, Cordoba's craftsmen's market at Judios and Averroes Streets, for there are sometimes vendors selling ''embossed Spanish'' bags imported from Morocco and machine-stamped billfolds ground out in the factories of Madrid. Choose Established Shops Buyers should deal only with an establihsed leather shop. Besides those in Cordoba, there are some in Madrid that carry quality leather goods. Several are on Serrano, Madrid's elegant shopping street. Loewe's at 26 Serrano Street has branches throughout Spain. Tres Z's at 78 Serrano Street has an assortment of fine leather as does Herrero y Rodero at 33 Gran Via in the heart of Madrid. R.P.